Deformable toy track



Dec. 2, 1958 F GARDIOL 2,862,333

DEFORMABLE TOY TRACK Filed Dec. 29, 1954 United States Patent DEFORMABLE TOY TRACK Franco Gardiol, Milan, Italy Appiication December 29, 1954, Serial No. 478,401

Claims priority, application ItalyFebruary 8, 1954 1 Claim. 01. 46-202 This invention relates to toys and more particularly to toys involving the movements of toy vehicles.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved toy including a track on which a toy vehicle is freely movable. It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved toy employing a track which can readily be shaped three-dimensionally and set in any desired form.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved toy track in sections which are provided with means for engaging the sections, said means further serving to set the sections in desired shape.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved toy in which the lateral movement of a vehicle on a track is restricted solely by marginal ribs or the like which delimit the running surface of the track.

A further object of the invention is to provide said ribs in a particularly advantageous form including portions for both supporting the track and accommodating the means which engage the track sections.

Briefly, in achieving the above and other of its objectives, the invention contemplates the use of track sections of a material capable of undergoing a three-dimensional deformation and including cores for retaining the deformation. Ribs or side sections are employed to limit the upper surface of the track sections and a movable vehicle is employed whose width is substantially less than the width defined by said ribs.

The invention will be understood more clearly from the following detailed description as illustrated by the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is, on a reduced scale, an elevational view of a toy including a track according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1, wherein the toy track sections are shown in position before being joined together;

Fig. 3 is, on an enlarged scale, a section across one of the track sections forming the toy track;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of track sections showing the connecting means between two adjacent sections;

Fig. 5 is a track section which has been manually shaped.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a are substantially linear track sections and b are curved sections.

Both the a and b sections are made by a solid band or strip 1 (Fig. 3) of a plastic material capable of undergoing a three-dimensional deformation and having an upper or running surface 2 on which small movable objects such 'as motor cars C are made to run.

Said band 1 is provided with two longitudinal ribs 3 defining the width of surface 2 and preventing the running object from leaving the track. The width of surface 2 substantially exceeds that of car C which therefore moves freely in longitudinal and lateral directions.

To join two adjacent track sections, each includes pins 4 accommodated in seats 5 provided in the adjacent section.

In order that a track section may receive and maintain the desired shape, it is provided, for its entire length with two cores 4a which are extensions of said pins 4 and which are received in respective seats 5a.

Each a or b element may have one or more stiffening longitudinal ridges 6.

It is to be noted that ribs 3 are actually the upper portions of longitudinal sides 3 which include lower portions 7 which accommodate the cores and provide surfaces 7 on which the track can rest.

What is claimed is:

A toy comprising a movable object of determinable width and an endless track for supporting said object; said track including engaged elements each of which comprises: a solid band having an upper surface, said band being of a material capable of undergoing a threedimensional deformation, longitudinal sides'on said band to confine the width of said upper surface to a width substantially exceeding said determinable width, said sides including portions extending above and below said band, cores in the portions extending below the band for maintianing the deformation thereof, said cores extending longitudinally from said sides at corresponding ends thereof for the engagement of another of said elements, the other ends of the sides defining openings for the engagement of a further element; the movable object being freely movable on and longitudinally of the upper surface and, due to the greater width of the upper surface, laterally thereupon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,544,555 Chase July 7, 1925 2,000,808 Williams May 7, 1935 2,068,403 Ekstrom Jan. 19, 1937 2,254,153 Larrabee Aug. 26, 1941 2,532,521 Stair Dec. 5, 1950 

